Chapter Nine: Draco, the Hero!

"What is it with you, Hermione? Why are you doing this, huh? Huh? Don't you know that Malfoy hates Muggle-borns? Don't you know he hates us? And don't you remember how he and his Slytherins have treated us all these years?"

Hermione sat with her friends in the Gryffindor common room and Ron was apparently, giving her a lecture.

"I can't believe you are falling for him or whatever you call it. I'm warning you, don't you dare get together with him." Ron spat out, crossing his arms.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Shut up, will you, Ron?" she snapped. "Hermione's already feeling bad enough."

"Fuck you, Ginny, shut up." Ron shouted. "I don't see any good in Malfoy. If you say anything else, I'll tell Dad and you'll be dead for exchanging letters with Malfoy."

"Fuck yourself, Ron, I'm sure Dad isn't such an unreasonable person like you are." Ginny shouted back.

"Shut up, the both of you." Hermione hissed. "It's late and both of you are shouting out those words. I don't want any first years to learn any these."

"Well," Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sure they will sooner or later."

Hermione shot him a glare. She was frustrated enough. Harry and Ron now knew about her feelings for Draco. It was now even worse than before. But they were taking it better than she thought he would if he found out.

"Hermione, you can sleep in my room if you want." Ginny offered. "I'm sure you don't want to go back there to the dorm?"

"I don't think so." Hermione said softly. How could she face Draco like that? He rejected her right there – in front of all her friends too! But she was also taking it better than expected. At least she didn't cry.

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Draco,

I know what you've done that involved a certain Mudblood. I'm warning you, one more time I hear about these, you're out of Hogwarts and I'll home school you. Mark my words.

From,

Father.

He had received the letter from his father last night. Fuck it, fuck him! His father just had many informers in the school whom Draco, himself, did not know about.

Click.

He heard the sound of a lock. Without thinking, he got up and headed out of his room, he saw Hermione's room door close.

Again without thinking, he knocked on her door.

No answer.

He knocked once more.

Still no answer.

He banged on it.

"What is it?" She yelled from inside the room.

"I… it's time for breakfast I believe!" He yelled back. "And don't forget we've got duties and I don't want to waste my time waiting for you out here so you-,"

He didn't finish his sentence when Hermione swung open the door. "I hate you." She hissed and strode past him.

Draco clenched his fists. What was it with this girl? She was so annoying. One moment, she grabs you and starts confessing her love for you and the next… she 'hates you'. Draco sighed and shook his head.

He followed behind her all the way, pretending to flip through a textbook while he sneaked glances up at her back.

She must be still angry. Tsk – women.

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Hermione fumed as she walked ahead of Draco. If he was going to pretend that nothing happened, then she would too.

She spotted her friends standing at the Great Hall entrance, chattering away about something.

"Hey, what's up?" she asked, hoping Draco would hear her tone of voice. I am happy, mind you, Draco Malfoy!

I know you don't mean that. Another small voice said inside of her.

I know… I know.

Her friends looked up – she caught Harry shooting a glare over at Draco, who swept past them into the great hall.

"What did Malfoy say to you just now?" Ron asked, glaring at her. She shrugged, "Nothing much."

"Are you upset that he isn't?" Harry demanded and Ginny slapped his arm. "Ow." He winced.

Hermione felt her blood boiling inside her. What exactly did her friends want? Why they were being so petty about this?

"Well, what answer do you guys want me to give you – and make you happy?" Hermione snapped. Harry and Ron exchanged a glance. Ron shrugged.

Harry said, "Well we do know you're in love with Malfoy."

"That's kind of an insult, by the way." Ron added in.

"I thought we talked about this last night!" Hermione said. "I'm telling you, I don't think it's an insult, and I'm happy to let you both know that I'm in love with Malfoy, whether or not he's reciprocating my feelings for him." She huffed and stomped past them into the Great Hall.

Some friends! All they care is their pride – what about me? I know there's another side of Draco Malfoy and he's not what they think he is! Why can't they ever understand it instead of pushing all the blame to me like I'm some sort of criminal?

She picked up a piece of toast and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing it very quickly, as quickly as she could. She would show Harry and Ron who was boss!

The three of them, Harry, Ron and Ginny appeared and sat down at the table near Hermione. Hermione quickly stood up, 'hrrpmh' and headed out of the Great Hall.

("You see! You guys made her angry!" Ginny shrieked at the boys after Hermione left.)

Hermione smirked when she was out of the Great Hall. Now they would know she was angry. She entered the Heads Common Room and picked up her book bag, she peeked in Draco's room – his bag was gone. Sighing, she rummaged in her bag, checking her materials that she needed for class later on. Then, she spotted a little crumpled piece of paper.

She smoothed it open:

Dear Draco….

Argh! She crumpled it back up and prepared to throw it away when she bumped into someone relatively large outside the Portrait Hole.

"My, my, isn't it Little Miss Head Girl?" Vincent Crabbe grinned nastily at her. Along with him were three other Slytherins – or otherwise known as Draco Malfoy's posse.

Pansy Parkinson glared at her. "Where's Draco, Mudblood?" her shrill voice made Hermione's ears hurt.

"He's not in the Common Room, Parkinson and I'll have points taken off Slytherin if you ever speak to me like that."

"Ooh, I'm so afraid." Pansy said, rolling her eyes. Then she spotted the crumpled piece of paper in Hermione's hands. "What's that?" she pointed to it.

Hermione felt trouble rising. She gripped it more tightly. "None of your business, Parkinson."

Pansy glared at Hermione, which made her look even more pug-like.

"You'll pay for talking to her like that, Granger." Blaise Zaibini growled.

"No, Zaibini, you'll pay. I'll have you all up for detention before you can say-," But she was cut off when he made a lunge for the piece of paper in her hands.

SHIT. Hermione tried to grab it back but he was too fast for you.

"Ooh, ooh, what's that?" Pansy pressed against Blaise's shoulders to hoist herself up.

"Lemme see!" Crabbe and Goyle went over too.

"Give that back!" Hermione shrieked. She felt around her pockets for her wand.

"Dear Draco," Blaise read out in a mockingly high horrible voice. "I can never tell you how much I like you… you're like my sunshine after the rain…"

"What!" Pansy shrieked. "WHO WROTE THIS?" She screamed. Hermione had to cover her ears.

"It's you, isn't it, Granger!" Goyle laughed. Pansy hit him. "It's not funny, this Mudblood is in love with Draco… MY Draco!"

Hermione had to keep herself from slapping Pansy. "Your Draco? I don't think so!" she yelled out before she could help herself.

"What?" Pansy shrieked again. She grabbed the letter out of Blaise's hands and read it again. "You bitch!" She reach out a hand to slap Hermione. Hermione was ready to duck it when someone grabbed Pansy's arm.

Pansy glanced up. Hermione opened her eyes to look –

Draco!

He stared down at Hermione, then at Pansy. "What are you doing, Pansy?"

"Drakie! Let go of me, it hurts." Pansy said, twisting her arm about. Hermione couldn't help swooning a little – Draco looked like a hero!

"Heya, Draco!" Blaise said a little nervously. Draco glared at him. "What's this?" He grabbed the letter out of Pansy's hands. He scanned it, "Now, it isn't very nice to take things that aren't yours, is it, Pansy?"

Pansy seemed to soften at the fact that Draco was mentioning her name so gently. "Well, we were just… you're not angry, are you, Drakie?"

Draco smirked, he let go off her hand, tossed the rolled up paper to Hermione. Hermione caught it and gripped it even more tightly, trying to control her tears. Then the Slytherins left, trailing after Draco.

Pansy shot Hermione another killer-glare before tugging onto Draco's sleeve. Blaise growled into Hermione's ear, "Aren't we all having fun, Mudblood?" he said evilly, which made Hermione's hairs stand on end.

She watched as they walked away. Draco never once looked back at her, he was too busy stroking Pansy's hair. Hermione glared down at the piece of crumpled paper – ready to be torn apart – but she spotted something on the paper! A quick scribble, how did he do that?

But she didn't care. All she cared was what was on the paper:

Meet me at the Astronomy Tower at 12 P.M., don't be late.